“Reject the Cover-Up,” Protesters Descend on Los Angeles City Hall After Trump’s Impeachment Trial Acquittal (Photo Essay)

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]fter an exhausting few months between the United States Congress and President Donald J. Trump over his involvement in soliciting Ukraine’s help in the 2020 election, a couple of hundred people came yesterday out to protest the impeachment acquittal of our President at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles. 

Along with this one, nationwide protests were planned in major cities across the United States including in New York, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle. There were more than 200 coordinated actions planned for Wednesday evening across the country organized by countless progressive grassroots organizations. Tonight's protest in Los Angeles was spearheaded by the Greater Los Angeles Indivisible Coalition, RefuseFacism.org, and other groups. 

“If thousands start getting in the streets in meaningful opposition, not just one day…it can inspire people who are afraid of what Trump supporters will do to them,” said Refuse Facism member Atlas Winfrey, who later gave a powerful speech encouraging the crowd to act now. “[Trump supporters] are vicious, they are ready to go to civil war and our people are trying to fight back with tweets and that’s not going to cut it.” 

Gathering on a cool Wednesday evening at 5:30 PM on the steps of City Hall, a few hundred very motivated demonstrators carrying “Dump Trump” signs and periodically breaking out in chants like “Hey Hey Ho Ho, Donald Trump has got to go,” came out to protest Wednesday’s acquittal.

One protester, Joe Cash from Alhambra, who sat quietly to the side and played his ukulele, explained what motivated him to come out and join the demonstrators. “I’m here to support the whole idea that this has been a cover-up and a sham.”

Another protester, Dancing Fox, came all the way from North Dakota to express her disdain with the Senate trial. “The Senate is bought!… They haven’t done anything that is legal. Who has a trial without witnesses?!” she exclaimed. 

Yesterday’s protest comes on the heels of the Senate’s acquittal of President Trump.  According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans supported impeachment by a 52-46 margin, but a Republican-held Senate sealed Trump’s fate late Wednesday afternoon and acquitted him of any wrongdoing. 

Last Friday, Democrats failed to get enough votes to subpoena documents and witnesses, like former National Security Adviser John Bolton, who was seen as necessary in corroborating the House Democrats’ case with much needed first-hand knowledge of Trump’s intent. Democrats have blamed their GOP colleagues of overseeing a “sham” trial without documents and witnesses and argued that a trial without more evidence would deliver a meaningless acquittal. 

Many fear that this acquittal will only embolden President Trump and set a dangerous precedent going forward.

“This 100 percent sets a dangerous precedent because we haven’t had a President who has had these types of personality disorders to such an extent as Donald Trump. He clearly has some very pathological tendencies that are very autocratic and the GOP is goose-stepping to his tune. Aside from Mitt Romney, they seem to have no conscience whatsoever and no loyalty to the Constitution,” explained Moira Cue, founder of the greater Los Angeles Indivisible Coalition.

The night ended with some fun as protesters strung up a Trump piñata hanging from the nearest traffic light. Demonstrators passed around a stick and anyone who wanted to let off a little bit of steam could take a wack. 

It was a tough day for America and the democracy it was founded on, but at least here in Los Angeles, we went home with some candy.